“Who Will You Nominate For Heart Valve Surgeon Of The Month?” Asks Adam

I would like to nominate Dr. Richard Toon. Dr. Toon is a participant in the medical tourism trade for those who find themselves without insurance and facing the daunting cost of a valve replacement surgery. Dr. Toon has performed more than 5,000 replacement surgeries and participated on the Jarvik 7 artificial heart. The most important aspects of heart valve surgery, for me, was my experiences before and after the surgery. Dr. Toon has a wonderful bedside manner with a great sense of humor that put me at ease from my first conversation. In the hospital he, with his team, gave me all the information about the surgery and the valve (ATS Open Pivot Heart Valve) being implanted and kept me well advised each step of the way. This made my initial experience of surgery and the healing progression much easier to endure and process. Since I was at the hospital by myself, Dr. Toon let me stay in the hospital for seven days instead of the typical 3 to 4 days after surgery with no additional cost. Giving me the feel that I was more than a cash customer but a real patient, tailoring my treatment to my individual needs. Since my December 31st aortic valve replacement, I am cleared to return to work, walking a mile a day and at 95% of my old self with many improvements to include no more nitro for angina, shortness of breath, or passing out after any kind of strenuous exercise. The last bit of good news came last Friday when my cardiologists set my follow up appointment for three months. This in and of itself was a wonderful mental pick-me-up. My experiences with Dr. Toon and his staff both at his practice and at the hospital made my surgery a wonderful experience that I highly recommend to anyone in a similar position.

I am nominating Dr. Patrick Mcarthy from Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He previously was at the Cleveland Clinic he relocated back home to the state of Illinois. Not only is he a phenominal surgeon who replaced my aortic valve but he is also a very compassionate caring man. Upon meeting him for the initial consultation he took his time to explain things and answer all of our questions. Never did I feel rushed to get done with the appointment. All of the staff on the cardiovascular thorasic step down unit spoke very highly of him as well. He has built a wonderful team and Chicago is fortunate to have him.

I nominate Alfredo Trento. He stepped in and cleaned up the mess left by my former surgeon who lost interest after the renal angioplasty he insisted upon prior to heart surgery went awry. Last March, my prior surgeon wanted to put me on dialysis (for life) and perform the heart surgery while I was near death. I changed surgeons at that time and on Dr. Trento’s advice waited 4 months for my body to heal. While I am still defined as in kidney failure, Dr. Trento managed the aortic valve replacement AND did not make the kidneys any worse. Attending nephrologists expected I would go into complete renal failure when placed on the heart lung machine. I recovered quickly and completely from the heart surgery and now am awaiting a kidney transplant. Thanks to Dr. Trento, I have (for nearly a year) been able to avoid dialysis.

Dr. Donald Glower, Duke University, Durham, N.C. His specialty is minimal invasive surgery, robotic surgery and he knows what he is doing!! He does a lot of research in this field and he is just a great guy and doctor. I was lucky to get him for my surgery. Check him out.

Hands down, I nominate Dr. Marc Gillinov. He is a heart surgeon with wonderful credentials, starting with graduating summa cum laude from Yale. He has 13 years of surgical experience at the Cleveland Clinic, over 200 publications and is on the cutting edge of new technoligies and treatments. As a recognized expert in in several areas including minimally invasive valve surgery, robotic surgery and atrial fibulation, one could not choose a more knowledgeable and gifted heart surgeon. He is also very personable and empathetic. He replaced my aortic valve last October and I am doing very well. I would not suggest using just any surgeon for such a critical operation. While I was at the Cleveland Clinic, I became aware of many cases where surgeons there were fixing the mistakes of other surgeons around the country.

I would also like to nominate Dr. Alfredo Trento at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles. He did a mitral valve repair on me on December 15th, and for the 1st time in my life, I have a normal heartbeat and a healthy heart! He and his team were amazing, and they supported me in feeling calm and confident that it would work out. There was a lot of laughter with his team and even a bit with him as well. My 1st impression of him was that he was a little abrupt, but after the 1st time I met him and I had questions for him, he was more than generous with his time and with whatever questions I needed answered in order to move ahead with surgery. I cannot stress how great he has been before, during, and after the surgery in making sure I was taken care of and that everything was done correctly and has been great with the follow up as well. His team swears by him, which also influenced my decision to go with him.

He does EVERYTHING related to the surgery, the prep work, the actual surgery, AND the close up and completion. Many surgeons have others do the prep and closing, which I didn’t know. He does it all and takes great pride in making sure that the valve is repaired and done minimally invasively. He said he considers it a personal failure if it is possible to do it that way on a patient, and he ends up having to do it any other way. I am very happy with the work he did and how well it all went and would highly recommend him.

I ASSUME THAT DR. NICK SMEDIRA OF THE CLEVELAND CLINIC HAS BEEN NOMINATED. IF NOT, WHAT AN OVERSIGHT IN THE WORLD OF HEART SURGEONS! HE’S JUST THE MAN THAT SINGLE-HANDEDLY(FOR THE MOST PART…SORRY SUPPORT STAFF:) CHANGED MY LIFE! HE WAS PATIENT AND ARTISTIC ENOUGH TO REPAIR MY COMPLICATED MITRAL VALVE RATHER THAN “SIMPLY” REPLACING IT. HE BECAME A QUICK FRIEND OF MY HUSBAND’S WITH HIS HONESTY AND REALISTIC APPROACH. HE IS TRULY AN ARTIST AND HAS NO IDEA, I BELIEVE, HOW HE IMPACTS THE LIVES OF MOTHERS LIKE ME WHO NEED HIM SO THAT THEY MAY FINISH THEIR LIFE’S WORK… RAISING THEIR CHILDREN. YOU’RE THE BEST, DR. SMEDIRA!
THANKS FOR MY FUTURE!
BETH QUEEN
( AND STEPHEN, CHLOE’ & MADELEINE QUEEN)

Dr. Conrad Vial is my angel! He has a wonderful bedside manner and calmed my fears before my surgery. He was always upbeat and answered all my questions (even the dumb ones) with respect and patience. He performed a ministernotomy so that I would not have a big scar, being as I’m young and female. His bedside manner was outstanding. He never rushed me in any way when I had questions, and I had many! His work is exemplar, I have a beautiful scar!
I would nominate this wonderful surgeon who helped to save my life as surgeon of the month!

I would like to honor and nominate Dr. Hillel Laks of UCLA Ronald Regan-Mediical Center in Los Angeles CA. Dr. Laks is chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at UCLA and performed my surgery. I was born with a complex condition consisting of corrected transposition(reversed heart),Ventricular Septal Defect, Atrial Fibrillation, and arrythmias.
I had seen several surgeons and due the complexity of my condition it was difficult to find a surgeon who could do all of this. After meeting other surgeons it was frustrating for me since I was not comfortable with their answers to my condition and wasnt quite sure what was going to happen and if I’d ever find a surgeon who could do this.
The minute I met Dr. Laks I knew I was in good hands and after speaking with him and all his honesty about the condition I knew I found my doctor. After so many years of living with this and never knowing if my condition would ever be fixed I just knew after speaking with him I was going to be ok.
Not only is he beyond brilliant, he is kind, honest and made me so at ease that the day of the surgery I was no longer scared. I had been scared for many years living with this and all of a sudden I wasnt, it was astonishing to me.
I cant thank him enough for his magic and can understand why he is so well respected worldwide. Thank you again Dr. Laks!!

I wanted the best medical care available but as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses I also wanted No Blood tho I accept alternative blood treatments such as cell saver and certain other medical treatments so when Dr. G. Ciuffo’s( NYC Moubt Sinai Hospital) name was given me by Jehovah’s Witnesses Hospital Liaison Committee I was eager to interview him! No only did he respect my patient’s right to choose my own medical treatment but he carefully explained he has been treating Jehovah’s Witnesses using minimally invasive surgery with no blood transfusions for about 15 years! He is a true humanitarian and deeply respects his patients’ right to choose and treats the whole person including their moral and spiritual convictions. I praise God Jehovah for using such men as Dr. Ciuffo. I truly benefited physically from this type of surgery. When my cardiologist gave me my 6 mos. check up, he said, “See you in a year!” Just as Dr. Ciuffo said, I would be low-maintenance for any cardiologist1

I would like to nominate Dr. Alan Hartman, Chairman, Department of Cardio-thoraic Surgery North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY.
Dr Hartman replaced my partner Mac Privette’s aortic valve on March 30, 2010.
Not only was Dr Hartman highly recommended by several doctors handling my patner’s case, in the course of my research I find he’s listed in “New Yorks Best Doctors”. So I was very convinced of his competency but when we finally met him at the consultation we were so impressed by his low key manner and his willingness to spend all the time needed to answer any questions. This availability continued throughout the hospital stay. The surgery went very well.Mac was out of the hospital in four days and in his recovery so far has Mac being called “the poster child” for patients of AVR surgery since things are healing so well!
We do hope that Dr Hartman will be considered for “Surgeon of the Month”.

Thanks
Susan Noll
Mac Privette
Huntington NY

Ps. Your book and web site has been my constant companion!–Susan